Dishwashing machine provided with a garbage grinder disposal unit



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 G. J. FEDERIGHI ETAL A GARBAGE GRINDER DISPOSAL UNIT Aug. 16, 1960 DISHWASHING MACHINE PROVIDED WITH Filed July 9. 195a (ii a .5 i llllM v I v An 5m 5 ReN Y we. E TE h E o N F F. N .H T IJ A as ea o T E v G 5 mm I :k \L Jw Qfnn k F :v nw.\|.\\\| o Aug. 16, 1960 G. J. FEDERIGHI EPA!- 2,949,120

DISHWASHING MACHINE PROVIDED WITH A GARBAGE GRINDER DISPOSAL UNIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 9, 1958 I NvE NTORS GEORGE J- F'EDERIGHI TORE H. NOREIN AT TORNEY DISHWASHING MACHINE PROVIDED WITH A GARBAGE GRINDER DISPOSAL UNIT George J. Federighi and Tore H. Noren, both of 333 11th St., San Francisco, Calif.

Filed Jilly 9,1958, Ser. No. 747,543

1 Claim. or. 134-115 The present invention relates to improvements in a dishwashing machine provided with a garbage grinder disposal unit. It consist of the combinations, constructions, and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

An object of our invention is to provide a dishwashing machine having a garbage grinder disposal unit incorporated thereinto so that scraps Washed from the dishes will be comminuted so that they may be readily discharged into a sewer connection. This will prevent the scraps from stacking up in the machine during continued use. Thus the dishwashing machine will be rendered more sanitary, and the scraps will not clog the pumps and spray nozzles that form part of the machine.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds. The novel features of our invention will be pointed out in the appended claim.

Drawings For a better understanding of the present invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which:

Figure l is side elevational view of our dishwashing machine;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken along the vertical plane II-II of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the dishwashing machine; and

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the plane IVI-V of Figure 3.

While we have shown only the preferred form of our invention, it should be understood that various changes, or modifications, may be made within the scope of the annexed claims without departing from the spirit thereof.

Detailed description Referring now to the drawings in detail, we have shown a housing that is designated generally at A. This housing has an entrance end B and an exit end C. The interior of the housing defines a scrap-removing zone D adjacent to the entrance end B, a rinsing zone B adjacent to the exit end C, and a washing zone F interposed between the scrap-removing zone and the rinsing zone, as shown in Figure 3.

It will be noted that a dish-conveying conveyor G has been shown schematically in Figures 1 and 3. The details of this conveyor is disclosed more fully in our United States letters Patent No. 2,840,227. Generally speaking, the conveyor provides an endless chain made up of links which are provided with rollers 11. The upper reach 12 of this conveyor is guided for movement along upper track sections 13 (see Figure 1) so as to advance from the entrance end B to the exit end C of the housing A. The lower reach 14 of the conveyor returns along lower track sections 15. These reaches pass around a sprocket 16 in the manner illustrated in Figures 1 and 3. Any suitable means may be used for advancing the conveyor through the machine. As shown, each link 10 is tates Patent provided with a pair of inclined pegs 17 so as to support dishes 18 in the manner indicated in Figure 1-. The conveyor G extends in front of the'en'tra-nce'end B of the housing A to define a loading section: H where the dishes 18' are inserted between adjacent pegs 17.

We support an open top water tank I inthe scrap-re moving zone D below the conveyor G. Spray nozzles 19 and 20 are arranged above and below the upper reach 12, respectively, in the scrap-removing. zone D to discharge water sprays 21 against the dishes 18 to wash scraps therefrom. As illustrated in Figures 2', 3 and" 4, a pump K may be operated by a motor Lto withdraw water from the tank I and force the water through a stand pipe 22 leading to and communicating with the spray nozzles 19 and 20.

Moreover, a strainer pan M is mounted over the tank I to receive scraps and water flowing from the dishes 18 being cleaned in the scrap-removing zone B. A drain pan N is arranged underneath the loading section H of the conveyor G. As indicated in Figures 1' and 3, the strainer pan M is inclined and positioned to sluice the scraps and water into the drain pan N. A garbage grinder disposal unit 0 is connected to the drain pan N for receiving scraps and Water from this pan. It. will be noted that the drain pan N has a bottom 23 that slopes to a sump 24, and the unit 0' is connected at its upper end to this sump. The upper end of the garbage grinder disposal unit 0 is provided with a perforated cap 25 to prevent silverware and the like, which may drop into the drain pan N, from entering the garbage grinder disposal unit.

During actual operation of the dishwashing machine, about 200 gallons of water per hour will be sluiced into the drain pan N, and this water will pass through the unit 0 and discharged through a pipe 26 leading to a sewer connection. The temperature of the water sprays 21 is usually about F., and this water which goes down the sewer is replaced in the manner hereinafter set forth.

As the conveyor G advances the dishes 18 into the washing zone F, the dishes will be thoroughly washed to remove all food particles therefrom. In this zone there is supported an open top water tank P, which tank is mountedbelow the conveyor G. Spray nozzles 27 and 28 are arranged in the washing zone F above and below the upper reach 12, respectively, so as to discharge hot water sprays 29 against the dishes to wash the latter. This water, of course, has the proper amount of detergent mixed therein and has sufficient temperature to effect a complete washing of the dishes.

I It will be noted that a pump Q is connected to the tank P to Withdraw water from the latter and force it through a stand pipe 30 to the spray nozzles 27 and 28. This pump may be operated by a motor R (see Figure 3). A removable strainer pan S is mounted over the top of the tank P so as to catch particles of food which are washed from the dishes 18.

Turning now to the rinsing zone E, it will be observed that an open top water tank T is supported in this zone below the conveyor G. Spray nozzles 31 and 32' are arranged in this zone above and below the upper reach 12, respectively, so as to discharge hot rinse water sprays 33 against the dishes 18 to rinse the latter. A pump U is connected to the tank T so as to withdraw water from the latter and force it through a stand pipe 34 to the nozzles 31 and 32 (see Figure 3). This pump may be operated by a motor V. A removable strainer pan W is mounted over the top of the tank T to catch fine particles of food washed from the dishes. The rinsing zone B may be subdivided into a power rinsing sub-zone E and a final rinsing sub-zone E as indicated in Figure 3. The dishes 18 will pass through the sub-zone E first, where they are subiected to the force of the rinsing water sprays 33, and then enter the final rinsing sub-zone E, where they are given a final rinse by hot water sprays 33', the details of which will now be described.

In actual practice, the temperature of the rinsing sprays 33' should be about 190 F., and approximately 300 gallons of this rinsing water is required per hour. It is important that this hot rinsing water should be conserved and its residual temperature utilized. Accordingly, we have provided a pipe 35 between the tanks T and P so as to convey the hot rinsing water from the tank T to the tank P, as suggested by the arrow 36 in Figure 1. Also, a pipe 37 is provided between the tank P and the tank I so as to convey water from the former to the latter, as indicated by the arrow 38 in Figure 1. Thus there is a general flow of the hot final rinsing water from the tank T through the tank P and finally to the tank J. This will cause particles of food to be carried along with the flow of water and these particles will eventually reach the garbage grinder disposal unit and will pass through the pipe 26 to the sewer. This arrangement will serve to maintain a sanitary condition in the three tanks.

As previously mentioned, about 200 gallons of water per hour will be sluiced by the strainer pan M into the drain pan N and this water will pass down to the sewer. The Water thus lost is replenished by the final rinse water provided by the sprays 33'. This particular final rinsing Water will retain considerable of its temperature when it reaches the tank I, where it will be used for removing scraps from the dishes 18. Of course, part of the final rinsing water will be used for the rinsing sprays 33 in the power rinsing sub-zone E and part used by the sprays 29 in the washing zone F.

It will be noted that each of the tanks J, P and T is provided with a waste overflow pipe X, as shown in Figures 1 and 3. Each overflow pipe X has an entrance end 3 9 at its top that is disposed on a level adjacent to the strainer pan in the tank in which the particular overflow pipe is located. All of these overflow pipes are coupled at their lower ends to a waste pipe 40 that leads to and is connected to the pipe 26. Thus the water entering the overflow pipes will be conveyed to the sewer. Each of the three tanks is provided with a waste valve Y at its bottom, which is adapted to drain water from the tank concerned into the waste pipe 40, when the valve is opened for this purpose.

As shown in Figure L the housing A is formed with a plurality of clean-out doors 41, which are arranged at about the level of the endless conveyor G. Also, the upper part of the housing has a number of inspection doors 42 formed therein.

While any suitable means may be employed for controlling the hot rinsing water 33 in the final rinsing subzone E we prefer to use the control apparatus indicated generally at Z (see Figure 1). This apparatus has been more fully disclosed in our copending application on a Dishwashing Machine With Automatic Final Rinse Control, Serial No. 419,236, filed inthe United States Patent Oflice on March 29, 1954 (now Patent No. 2,864,387).

The control apparatus Z defines a comb 43 having a plurality of spaced-apart tines, the lower ends 43a of which are normally arranged adjacent to the upper reach 12 of the conveyor G, as illustrated in Figure l. The comb 43 is swingably supported at its top on a horizontal shaft 44, and has an integral arm 45 that carries a magnet 46. The latter is disposed adjacent to a mercury switch 47 and this switch is connected by an electrical circuit 48 to a normally closed solenoid valve 49. This valve is arranged in a pipe 50 leading from a source of hot rinsing water. When the valve is opened, the hot rinsing water will flow into a downwardly extending pipe 53 that is connected to spray nozzles 51 and 52, which are disposed above and below the reach 12, respectively.

When dishes 18, silverware and the like pass beneath the lower ends 430 of the tines of the comb 43, the latter will be swung in a counterclockwise direction in Figure 1, thus withdrawing the magnet from its position adjacent to the mercury switch 47. As disclosed in our copending application, Serial No. 419,236, the valve 49 will be opened at this time to allow discharge of the hot rinsing water 33 from the nozzles 51 and 52. Thus the hot rinsing water will be discharged only when the comb 43 is raised. This arrangement, of course, will conserve the amount of the hot rinsing water being utilized; and, as pointed out earlier, this water is used again in the zones E F and D of the dishwashing machine.

We claim:

In a dishwashing machine provided with a garbage grinder disposal unit: a housing having an entrance end; a dish-conveying conveyor extending in front of the entrance end of the housing to define an unobstructed loading section where dishes may be placed on the conveyor; the conveyor further extending through the housing; the housing defining a scrap-removing zone; spray nozzles arranged in said zone to discharge water against the dishes to wash scraps therefrom; an open top tank supported in a lower portion of said zone below the conveyor; pumping means operable to Withdraw water from the tank and discharge it through the spray nozzles onto the dishes; a strainer pan mounted over the tank in a position to receive scraps and water flowing from the dishes being cleaned; a drain pan arranged underneath the loading section of the conveyor and projecting forwardly of the entrance end of the housing; the strainer pan being inclined forwardly and being positioned rearwardly of the drain pan to sluice the scraps and water into the drain pan; and a garbage grinder disposal unit connected to the drain pan for receiving scraps and water from the drain pan.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,311,496 Castellini July 29, 1919 1,406,465 Lynch Feb. 14, 1922 1,508,828 Wholey Sept. 16, 1924 1,605,961 Loew Nov. 9, 1926 1,720,622 Breton July 9, 1929 2,561,631 Negri July 24, 1951 2,619,097 Von Bromssen Nov. 25, 1952 2,644,473 Fox July 7, 1953 2,669,240 Thorson Feb. 16, 1954 2,697,050 Barnes Dec. 15, 1954 2,729,219 Smith Jan. 3, 1956 

